PREVIEW: Minor hurlers look to maintain winning run ahead of Clare clash

Electric Ireland Munster Minor Hurling Championship - Round 4

Tipperary vs Clare, Thursday, May 2nd in FBD Semple Stadium @ 7 pm

Three wins in as many matches will be just what the doctor ordered for James Woodlock and his players this Thursday as - like their U20 counterparts - they welcome the reigning Munster and All-Ireland champions to town.

It is a case of “so far so good” for Woodlock in his fourth year at the helm of the minors, with two wins putting them in a good position to attack a Munster Final appearance in the coming weeks, but they will have a very stern test from Clare who themselves are looking to continue their unbeaten start to the campaign.

For Tipperary, it has been a very encouraging month for all concerned underage and this much-vaunted group of young players have delivered on their promises with great conviction and assuredness, with a good spread of the slack being taken throughout the panel.

Euan Murray has been the standout performer for them while Stefan Tobin and Eoghan Doughan in the full forward line provide the scoring nous for the Premier lads and they will be key going into the remainder of this Munster campaign.

Key contributions from the sideline have been a calling card of this team to date with Aaron Cagney providing two brilliant cameos off the bench when the game is in the melting pot, while Jack Cahill and Darragh O’Hora both hit scores late on against Waterford in round two when needed.

Clare have had a big clear out of players from the squad that conquered all last year, with the Banner suffering a huge blow in their game against Limerick previously with one of the survivors from last year, Marc O’Brien, suffering a nast ankle injury and he looks set to miss significant time so this will undoubtedly help Tipperary leading into this game.

These games are not do-or-die yet, as the top four progress to the All-Ireland stages in this new format voted for at Special Congress in 2023, but if Tipperary can get a win here, they will have one foot firmly in the provincial decider with their final game coming away from home against a winless Limerick side.